🚀 go-pugleaf

Chris_Beech@adobeforums.com wrote:
> 
> I've been reading with interest the post on ripping .ps files vs .pdf files, but am still short of a definitive answer. There are hints that a Level 3 postscript rip can "rip" a pdf file natively (without an intermediary convert to postscript in the background pdf2ps step). Is this true? Or do all rips have to perform the conversion.
> 
> I look at documentation from many rip manufacturers (Creo Spire, Agfa Apogee, et al.) who claim to rip pdfs. Is this all marketing spin? or do pdf workflow rips actual rip pdf files?
> 
I don't know exactly how the capability is implemented, but our
ECRM/Harlequin "Eclipse" RIP can certainly process PDFs -- although I
haven't tried any that contained transparency. It even recognizes any
spot-colour plates that may be there (when the PDF is properly
created to include them, of course). While I have no idea of what
goes on 'under the hood', I can affirm that none of the messages that
appear in the "RIP Monitor" (logging) window say anything about an
intermediate PS file or the like being created during the process.

-- 
Odysseus

> There are hints that a Level 3 postscript rip can "rip" a pdf file natively (without an intermediary convert to postscript in the background pdf2ps step)

Some PostScript 3 RIPs can *accept* PDF files. Some cannot. It is an
option for the RIP maker to choose.

Some of the RIPs that accept PDF might deal with it by converting to
PostScript internally. Equally, some of the RIPs that accept
PostScript, might convert to PDF internally.  This is a detail you
should not have to worry about, any more than other internal details,
and in fact would be very difficult or impossible to find out if the
manufacturer doesn't tell you.

>Subsequently, there is mention in some posts of Adobe Extreme, is this the same as level 3?

No: while I can't remember any more what it is, it isn't just
PostScript. A workflow product, I think.


Aandi Inston

The Adobe PostScript 3 RIP with PDF option converts to Postscript and RIPs
that :-(

Things like transparency are lost....

Anyone aware of a native PDF RIP???

Waldo

<Chris_Beech@adobeforums.com> wrote in message
news:2cd0159e.-1@webx.la2eafNXanI...
> I've been reading with interest the post on ripping .ps files vs .pdf
files, but am still short of a definitive answer. There are hints that a
Level 3 postscript rip can "rip" a pdf file natively (without an
intermediary convert to postscript in the background pdf2ps step). Is this
true? Or do all rips have to perform the conversion.
>
> I look at documentation from many rip manufacturers (Creo Spire, Agfa
Apogee, et al.) who claim to rip pdfs. Is this all marketing spin? or do pdf
workflow rips actual rip pdf files?
>
> Subsequently, there is mention in some posts of Adobe Extreme, is this the
same as level 3?

I've been struggling with this issue also. I want to send PDF data to the RIP in order to preserve transparency as late as possible, but then I loose the setpagedevice functionality found in PostScript.

I guess those parameters can be handled in a JDF workflow, but setpagedevice is just too easy and efficient to give up. I think I'll flatten upstream and stick with ripping PostScript.

Any input on this would be greatly appreciated

Rik

As for using JDF, the few PDF RIPs I've seen so far strip off any job ticket information from incoming PDFs and do not handle PDF/JT pairs (be it Adobe's or the W4C variant). Instead, they provide workflow utilities that permit (and force) defining job tickets by a GUI with many levels of functions and permissions - no chance to spcify any processing settings within the incoming PDF.

One of the PDF RIPs I am forced to work with provides a weird workaround for paper handling using some custom annotation format which isn't even documented (only a cut and paste facility for Acrobat is provided). And the only setpagedevice key which seems to be honoured seems to be /PageSize. Sigh.